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90' TGP front end noise


White93z34
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The car is generally alright on the highway, rides good enough. However something is up. On back roads or any bump moderate to hard I get some really nasty clunking from the right front and maybe the left front to a lesser degree. Its bad enough that you can feel it through the floor if riding passenger. before we go any further...

 

New parts:

  • Subframe bushings, all of them
  • Swaybar bushings
  • balljoints
  • tie rods
  • tie rod ends
  • steering rack bushing
  • engine mounts
  • dogbones
  • struts

 

My first thought is that the strut was loose in the housing but I replaced the struts last fall made sure the washer included was put on top no up and down play that I could feel by hand. I've tried to shake down the front end as good as I could and can't seem to find anything out of place. Control arm bushings feel well enough as well.

 

The strut mounts have not been replaced... I swapped them with a different set I had, didn't seem to make any difference. I've never had one go bad though.

 

any ideas?

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Two things Chris, and they may sound stupid.

 

Have you checked the nuts inside where the bolts shoot into with the engine subframe?

I had one break loose on the white Lumina, had a body shop weld 2 new ones in the front.

 

Also, as funny as this might sound, check the vacuum modulator. I had a hose off causing the car to make front end noise when there was nothing wrong.

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I can hear it as well, just a loose metal noise or something.

 

Made sure the rack bolts were extra tight when I installed the rack, been burned on that before.

 

rechecked the subframe bolt torque as well.

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no way is it a heatshield. exhaust.... i don't know but i'd doubt it. I have it hung using all the right hangers and its a stock catback... I'll shake it down though to be safe.

 

you know more I think about it... I wonder how well the strut nut is seated against the mount. I know when I installed these sensatracks the top nut was hard to get to seat down against the mount I'll have to get a pick or feeler or something and see how well it is seating on it. get some washers and stack em up as needed and see where I go from there.

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Did you get it figured out Chris? I think you're on the right track looking at the struts. I've had a cartridge nut loosen up before and it made some nasty clunking.

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Not yet... haven't looked at it yet. I have it put away right now so I can tool around on the z34.

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  • 1 year later...

I really, really hate it when people post problems but never post solutions that eventually fixed the problem.

 

In the end it was a combination of bad strut bearing plates and a crossthreaded strut nut. I fixed both of those last summer and the car has never driven better.

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